West Bank road sees repeated stone attacks
Palestinian residents of northern West Bank villages claim settlers regularly pelt their cars with stones as IDF fails to put a stop to attacks
On Thursday at 3 am Abu Zitun, driving a minibus carrying construction workers from Qalqilya, was approaching the Gitt junction when settlers began pelting his vehicle with stones. "The windshield was smashed and the side of the vehicle was also damaged. I continued driving until we reached the military checkpoint where I complained to the soldiers about the attack. They told me there was nothing to do and instructed me to file a complaint with the Coordination and Liaison Directorate. They too did not know what to do," Abu Zitun recounted.
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Palestinians residing in northern West Bank villages do not understand the fuss over recent violence by the Hilltop Youth. For them it's a daily struggle. Palestinian cars driving on the road near Yitzhar and Havat Gilad suffer regular stone attacks. Abu Zitun was forced to pay NIS 2,000 to repair his minibus. "I'm afraid to go on that road now and do a detour to avoid it," he said. He noted that while Palestinian vehicles driving on the "Gilad artery" get pelted with stones, cars with Israeli license plates are never attacked.
Abu Zitun's minibus (Photo: Yesh Din)
Zecharia Seda of the Rabbis for Human Rights organization said that Palestinians suffer daily attacks on the northern segment of Route 60, from the Gitt Junction to the village of Hawara. "A great number of Palestinian vehicles driving on that route get pelted as windowpanes are shattered and at times passengers get hurt."
Palestinian vehicle hit by settlers (Photo: Yoav Zitun)
The Palestinians are complaining that the IDF fails to regularly guard the area despite the frequent attacks against residents. "In previous years the Border Guard regularly guarded this axis at the entrance to Havat Gilad and this prevented the majority of attacks against vehicles, but security has stopped and since then settlers are throwing again," Seda said. He criticized the IDF for closing the road for Palestinian vehicles instead of arresting the rioters.
The Palestinians say that when the IDF is called to investigate cases of vehicles being pelted the soldiers accept the settlers' claim that the vehicles tried to enter their settlements.
For the Palestinians, Route 60 is extremely important as it connects the southern and northern parts of the West Bank. Most of them now perform huge detours top avoid passing through the road. Those who don't, remain highly vigilant.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit said in response: "The part of Route 60 which connects Hawara with the Gitt junction is open to Palestinian traffic. Closing it is used only after events which may spark violence. Fearing violent clashes the route was closed for a limited amount of time. It is important to note that near Route 60 there is an alternative route open to Palestinians."
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